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Negative flier prompts Olsen to file lawsuit

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By Tory Brecht | Tuesday, December 25, 2007 |

Davenport attorney and former at-large City Council candidate Jennifer Olsen has filed a lawsuit against the mailer of an election advertisement that accused her of lying about her job and not paying taxes.

In the suit, Olsen claims Gary Paulsen, 1336 Belle Ave., defamed her character and caused her emotional distress. She is asking for $10,000 in damages and “retraction of publication of the false and misleading nature of the original publication by defendant.”

Paulsen did not wish to comment on the suit, which was filed in Scott County District Court.

In a statement Olsen released shortly before the election — in which she finished third for one of the two at-large seats by a slim 287 votes — the candidate said the mail advertisement was full of “lies and half-truths” about her character and reputation.

“One of the rumors that (is) being circulated is that I am being investigated by the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board,” she wrote. “I have not been notified of any such investigation against me so it must have been sent in this week, just before the election. The supposed complaint seems to allege that statements made by my campaign constitute advertising for my law practice.”

Olsen added that the Ethics Board is obligated to take any complaint under advisement and any findings, which she assured would find her at no fault, would not come to light for six months, well after the election.

The letter, sent to an undetermined number of Davenport households, had “Paid for by Gary Paulsen, a concerned taxpayer” in small print at the bottom. The first allegation in the letter stated “Jennifer Olsen is currently under investigation for violation of ethics by the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board ... Can we trust her?”

The night before the election, Olsen appeared at a news conference with several other candidates who claimed they were targeted by “dirty campaigning.” In addition to Olsen, 3rd Ward candidate Bill Boom and 5th Ward incumbent Bill Lynn were targeted.

In her suit, Olsen claims the publication was defamatory because it attacked her integrity, business character and moral turpitude.

A hearing date has not yet been set.

Tory Brecht can be contacted at (563) 383-2329 or tbrecht@qctimes.com.